Water meter



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PHO'TO-LITHD. WASHINGTON n c No. 608,602. Patented Aug. 9, I898.

'J. K. HILL.

WATER METER. (Application filed Nov. 10, 1897.)

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Patented Aug. 9, I898. J. K. HILL.

WATER METER.

(Application filed Nov. 10, 1897.)

(No Model.)

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JOHN KERSHANV HILL, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

WATER-M ETER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 608,602, dated August 9, 1898.

Application fil d November 10, 1897. Serial No. 658,073. (No model.)

and horizontal sections of the meter constructed according to the principal modification. Fig. 3 is avertical section of the meter constructed according to another modifica-' tion. Figs. 4 and 5 are respectively a sectional elevation and plan of amodified form of piston-ring employed in the meter.

In the mode of carrying this invention into effect as illustrated on Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings a circular casing A, closed at the top, is provided, having within it a cylinder 13, which cylinder Bis divided by an internal cylinder 0, so as to produce an annular piston space or ring D. This ring-space D is divided by a transverse vertical partition E,and the respective ports F and G for admission and discharge of the water are arranged on opposing sides, the shape of the outer casing A being arranged to carry the water to the port F and from the port G. These ports extend within the annular space D on both sides of the transverse division E, and they are so shaped as to provide gradual opening and closing, as determined by the movement of a ring-shaped piston H, hereinafter described.

As Fig. 1 is an irregular vertical section on the line a I), Fig. 2, the port F is only seen on that figure; but both the admission and out let passages F G are clearlyshown leading into chambers F G, which communicate with their respective ports,

The ring-shaped piston H has a slot J across its depth, which fits over the transverse partition E, and the ends 72. 7b of the piston at the slot are so rounded as to enable the ring piston to fit with some accuracy to the said partition in all the positions it assumes when in operation.

The piston H is of the same depth as the annular space D, and it is provided with a cover-plate K, preferably attached to the cylinder B and held in position by the outer cover A. Through this cover-plate K the inlet-port F is made, while attached to the piston H is an arm R, which projects through this port, as clearly shown in both figures,and carries a conical controlling-pin L, hereinafter described.

When in operation, the Water passes first through a suitable grid (not shown) to extract sand and the like, then by the inlet-passage F, chamber F and port F into the annular space D on one side of the piston H and the other side alternately, so that the expanding space to be filled with the water to be measured is alternately formed between the outside surface of the piston H and the cylinder B and the inside surface of the piston H and the inner cylinder 0, and as one of the expanding spaces is being filled by water in this manner the other opposing and contracting space is exhausting the water through the port G, chamber G and passage G. The piston H carriesat its center, on the inner end of the arm R, the inwardly-projecting conical pin L. his conical pin L Works around an opposing nical pin M, and the piston is caused to describe a rolling path round and round the cylinders O B, the inside and'outside surfaces alternately bearing on the opposing surfaces of the annulus D, in the manner hereinbefore described. By this arrangement the piston so moves as to produce extending and contracting spaces, and the ports are so arranged that no deadpoint occurs either in admission or exhaust.

The conical pin L is screwed into a suitable bush N, and it is evident that by screwing the pin down an adjustment of the wear on the centers can be obtained and the wear on the vertical peripheries of the piston taken up simultaneously. On the upper part of the pin his a small extension-pin O, which is attached to and drives any suitable form of index or dial mechanism placed in the upper portion A of the casing.

The vertical partition E is made as thin as possible, with the slot in the piston to come spond, consistent with the necessary strength of the piston to resist fracture by the waterpressure, and the effect of this thinning is that practically the whole bearing of the pistons circumference takes place on the cylindrical sides of the annulus and thus prevents leakage, while the piston being constructed of vulcanite and with its attachments only slightly heavier than water the wear is reduced to a minimum. Further, arranging the arm carrying the conical controlling-pin to project through the inlet-port obviates the leaking surface and leaking space presented by pistons of this class, as hereinafter more fully described. The arrow-lines on Figs. 1 and 2 show the direction of flow of the fluid; but it is quite evident that the flow could be reversed and the meter worked in the opposite direction without departing from the subj ect of the present invention.

A modified application of the cone wear-adj usting and controlling devices L and M as applied to another construction of oscillatingpiston meter is illustrated in vertical section at Fig. 3, the external containing-casing A and A not being shown. In this arrangement a similar piston II, closed on the top from the edge inward, is usedthat is, the piston is in the form of an inverted cup. A ring S, somewhat similar to the ring or cover K, hereinbefore described, is placed above this piston and incloses the annulus D, and a similar projecting pin L, screwed in a bush N, attached to the top or cover of the cup, passes inward and engages with the conical projection M, forming part of the internal cylinder O. The inlet and outlet ports are arranged on either side of a vertical partition E, upon which the piston swings, and they may be arranged either one top and the other bottom or both top or bottom, according to the arrangement of the containing-casing. This casing, the partition E, and the ports are not shown, as the application of the wearadjusting devices is the only novel feature claimed.

The modification of the piston illustrated on Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings partly consists in forming a skeleton ring I), preferably of bronze or an aluminium alloy, about which the vulcanite or like material is molded to constitute the oscillating piston H. Again,on the outer and inner surfaces of the piston a number of corrugations cl d are provided, as shown, so that grit or the like which may find its way into the meter past the sieve placed on the inlet-pipe may be taken into the depressions and prevent friction. As the pistons surfaces are usually formed of vulcanite and the annular walls of bronze, in a short time a metallic surface of high polish forms upon the vulcanite and renders friction practically negligible.

To take up any slight grit which may pass the grid with the water or come from the attrition of the rubbing surfaces and thus get on the floor of the cylindrical annulus, a numher of semiperforations a a are provided, and these are shown clearly on Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings. The grit falls into these semiperforations and thus does not interfere with the working of the piston.

The chief advantages of the arrangement of the conical pins L and M within the cylinder 0 in the position shown in the two modifications are that wear is easily taken up by the readjustment of the pin L and that these working parts are removed entirely from the water measured and therefore do not, as in other meters, add to the leaking surface. Further, the attaching of the pin L to an arm projecting through a port obviates a common fault in oscillating-piston meters-viz. ,a positive leak through small spaces unavoidably left to allow for the swing of the piston upon the-dividing-partition. As an example of this refer-to the arrangement shown without an arm at Fig. 3. If the partition is carried up to the level X to allow the cover V of the piston H during its oscillations to reciprocate between Y and Z, then a leak takes place through the space W from inlet to outlet without passing through the meter. If, on the other hand, the partition is carried up to the cover S an elliptical piece T must be cut out of the cover V to allow for the path about the partition this part T would describe when reciprocating and oscillating from Y to Z, and similar leakage would take place through T, being greatest when the piston was in the position shown in the drawings.

I am well aware that water-meters with oscillating pistons have been proposed and used; but they have been of an exceedingly complex nature with intricate central dividing-Webs and numberless joints, so that only large quantities of water have been measured, a small quantity passing through without operating the meter, whereas by my construction the working parts and joint sliding contact-surfaces are reduced to a minimum, means for taking up the wear are provided, and devices employed to decrease the resistance to motion of the piston while keeping the rolling surface in sliding contact, so that the meter registers small quantities as well as large in a positive manner, and the term positive is used for the following reasons.

An experimental meter constructed (as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings) to measure a maximum quantity of eighteen hundred gallons per hour has been found to register and measure accurately as small a quantity as six gallons per hour, whereas for the reasons already stated oscillating meters as at present constructed will only register positively at or about their maximum load, as when small quantities are passing the leakage is large and having to be allowed for makes the read ing of the meter inferential and not positive.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In water-meters of the oscillating-piston type, the screw adjusting and controlling pin fixed centrally upon the piston having a conical end riding upon an inverted-cone piece fixed to the casing of the meter externally to the measuringchambers; so that by adjusting the screw-cone the wear on the oscillating piston may be readily taken up and by the external arrangement of these parts the leaking surface reduced all substantially as described.

2. In water-meters of the oscillating-piston type the screw adjusting and controlling pin fixed centrally upon the piston having a conical end riding upon an inverted-cone piece fixed to the casing of the meter externally to the measuring-chambers in combination with an arm projecting from either inlet or outlet port toward the center of the piston to fix or attach centrally thereto the said conical adjusting-pin all as a means of rendering the meter positive in its action by obviating leakage substantially as described.

of the depth of the annulus by means of a transverse slot in the ring, and inlet and outlet ports leading respectively to opposite sides of the annulus, all substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN KERSI'IAW HILL.

lVitnesses:

WILLIAM EDWARD EVANS, ARCHIBALD CLERK. 

